Titan,
Couldn't agree more. Managers and Green Eyed monsters most likely.
The new I.R. Laws are not the market. They are a guideline for Industrial relations going forward till the next election, subject to change and constant scrutiny.
The Market is the Market, full stop. What is the market paying on average for an Airline Pilot in Australia. That is why there are terms like below Market Salaries and above Market Salaries. It is not the lowest price that someone can pay someone to do the job. That is a management tool used to attempt to mislead.
Do not fear the new I.R. Laws. The consequences of an employer cancelling a Certified Agreement and trying on the scenario illustrated by Jaded Boiler would be disasterous for an Airline like Qantas. I would even go as far as to say it would destroy the company and cost the careers of all (Dixon etc).
I would make the point to Qantas Pilots again.
You must negotiate to secure your futures. This does not mean pay cuts. This means getting rid of outdated work practices and increasing productivity. It does not mean accepting the bare bones offered to Jetstar. They have nothing to negotiate with as their Certified Agreement has no flesh on the bones. They will fight for years to fatten it up. In the meantime all Qantas Pilots have to do is take a little bit of Weight Watchers to theirs and look for efficiencies.
A 5% improvement on a $500m payroll is a $25m annual improvement to Qantas' bottom line. Jetstar Pilots would have to work for free to provide that sort of saving. Think about it and get proactive in driving change. After all, it's YOUR FUTURE.
There is a fantastic old saying that goes
"I worried my whole life about things that might happen, and some of them actually did!"
You are in control of the agenda, don't lose it and stop worrying about what might happen. Make it happen on your terms!